WashU vs. UPenn

<p>After visiting WashU this weekend, I really fell in love with the campus. However, it seemed like there wasn't much to do on a thurs/fri night while at Penn I have heard thats not a real problem.</p>

<p>I want to go to medical school, and these schools are tied for number 3. so that doesnt help. I wont get a chance to visit penn, so i have to decide base on what I read and hear about that school.</p>

<p>I love how WashU dorms are so big, and the food is amazing. and class sizes are small. how does penn compare to that? are classes teached by TA's? Is there an intense grade curve?</p>

<p>How Philly in terms of things to do for students?
How are dorms? (hallway or suite style for freshman)</p>

<p>If I am someone who wants the kind of work hard, play hard environment where should I go?</p>

<p>Wow, that was helpful. =)</p>

<p>Anyway, just wanna let you know that jamaica is a WashU hater.</p>

<p>For what its worth, WashU is definitely a work hard/play hard school.</p>

<p>Not sure how you didn’t find a party on thursday/friday night… there’s always something going on.</p>

<p>Sorry I can’t say much about UPenn. I didn’t apply so I know absolutely nothing about it. I have a friend at a nearby school, and she loves Philly. St. Louis has the better winter by far though, imo.</p>

<p>I also applied to UPenn. I was waitlisted, but I didn’t accept a spot on the waitlist because I read many posts here on CC that Penn tends to focus on Wharton, and wanting to be a pre-med, myself, I didn’t want to feel like a step-child, so to speak, compared to the Wharton students.</p>

<p>hotdancer, i’d be suspicious of any advice from “Jamaica,” who hates Wash U cuz she was rejected or waitlisted. I know Penn well and can say that Philly is indeed more fun than St. Louis, but Wash U is academically probably a better (or at least more user-friendly) experience for most undergraduates. Also, in terms of students, they are about the same in terms of qualifications, but the Wash U types are calmer, nicer and a little less business and New York-oriented than Penn, (which may or may not be a good thing). U can talk about the Ivy brand, but HYP are the only ones that matter, and once you get down to the Penn (let alone Cornell) level, there isn’t much of a social status difference with Wash U. The campus facilities at Wash U are ten times better, tho Penn has a wonderful and inspiring history tracing back to Ben Franklin and colonial times, if you care about that.</p>

<p>At Penn you will get very little pre-med support. There is a website, and when you are ready to apply you will arrange for an interview (with weeks waiting period) for your composite letter. It is very impersonal. There are many research opportunities nearby, as the med school, hospitals and Wistar Institute are right off campus. Wash U also has outstanding research opportunities and in the research medical sphere is thought of extremely highly.
Qualified Wash U undergrads do well with Penn med admissions.</p>

<p>hotdancer,</p>

<p>According to jamaica, it is not possible for you to be accepted by Washu and UPenn.
Kidding aside, you should choose WashU, its pre-med is great and students are very friendly. The campus is nice.</p>

<p>i was at washu this past weekend too! and there werent AS many parties going on that weekend because it was the weekend of a bunch of frats/sorority formals so they were out of town partying. but there were still definatly a bunch of parties… we actually went to two on friday. but i penn is crazy too! there’s always something going on there. i mean honestly, i would go to either one. good luck</p>

<p>If you’re interested in frats, UPenn is a much more “frat” community. I’ve heard WashU has about 30% frats presence, which is a lot less than UPenn.</p>

<p>^^Agreed.</p>

<p>The frats at WashU also have a different sensibility, if you will, than the stereotypical frat presense at many schools that we’ve all learned to observe with a wary eye.</p>

<p>Frat undertones are much more understated at WashU than, say, a northeast LAC. All other things being equal, if you’re looking for a “frat school”, WashU is not it.</p>

<p>You definitely will not be accepted by either of the two universities because the students are “taught” by professors not “teached” by TAs.</p>

<p>well i have been accepted at both schools, when no one else at my school was. so obviously that means something. I didnt start this thread for someone to check my grammar, but if you get enjoyment out of that go right ahead.</p>